Migration from Standard 03 to PS07

[John_JXL]

I am evaluating migrating from a current solution based on 7 separate plans
on Standard 03 (i.e. without PS) to a PS07 based solution.

Can I migrate the separate 03 plans directly onto the PS07 server - can I
still operate the 7 plans separately on the server based solution (but
potentially with pooled resourcing, etc.) such that the 7 project managers
can independently manage and update their plans separately?

Secondly would a logical first step for the migration be to upgrade everyone
to MS07 professional (but operating in standalone mode) before I set up the
project server? This seems to be a quick first steps which gets everyone
using MS07 first before we migrate onto the project server solution?

Thanks,
John.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

John --

To answer your questions:

1. Your PMs can each import their existing projects into the Project Server
2007 system using the Import Project Wizard in Project Professional 2007.
Before you (and they) get this far, however, you need to configure your
Project Server 2007 system with custom enterprise fields, set up your
enterprise Standard calendar with company holidays (and create other new
enterprise calendars, as needed), and create your company's resources in the
Enterprise Resource Pool. In other words, get your system set up, tested,
and working, and then your PMs can import their projects. They should pay
special attention to the first page of the Import Project Wizard, in which
the system prompts them to match local resources in their MPP file with
enterprise resources in the Enterprise Resource Pool.

2. Yes, a nice first step would be to upgrade everyone to Project
Professional 2007 and use it in desktop only mode. This will allow your PMs
to use the seven or so new features that make this version of the desktop
application more powerful. These new features include things like
multi-level undo, cell background formatting, change highlighting, etc.

Also, to assist you with your implementation, you might want to purchase one
or more of our company's books on Project Server 2007 at:

http://www.projectserverbooks.com

Hope this helps.

 

[John_JXL]

Thanks for the comprehensive response - just a further related query:

(a) if I import the data from 7 existing mpp 2003 files into PS07, will this
data still effectively exist as 7 discrete and recognisable projects plans
(which can be separately edited by the different PMs)?

(b) at the same time I have some "cross-stream" projects which are made up
of tasks from more than 1 of the underlying 7 mpp files at present. Is the
"master project" feature the best way to handle this scenario (where I create
a virtual view)? Does this work in a similar way on PS as it does on the
standalone version of Project operating outside of PS? Or does PS offer more
powerful features over and above the existing master project functionality?

(c) When using the timesheet functionality I have resources who have tasks
assigned to them from more than one of the underlying 7 projects. Will the
timesheet function automatically aggregate ALL tasks to which a resource is
assigned for that period, even if these are from different underlying
projects?

Thanks again,
John.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

John_JKX --

The answers to your questions are:

(a) Yes. After importing the seven projects, each project will continue to
exist as a separate individual project in Project Server 2007. The default
permissions in the system only allow each PM to open and edit his/her own
projects. The Project Server administrator can open up these permissions,
if needed, to allow each PM to open and edit everyone else's projects as
well.

(b) Yes. You can continue to create master projects in Project Server
2007. They work pretty much the same as in desktop-only mode. In Project
Server 2007, however, you can open and publish a master project, and this
action will publish the subprojects as well.

(c) Yes. If a resource is assigned to tasks from all seven projects,
he/she will see all of these tasks on the My Tasks page, grouped by project.
Be careful, however, when you use the term "timesheet." There are
essentially TWO timesheets in Project Server 2007. On the My Tasks page,
team members can only see their project tasks, and can enter task progress
on this page. There is also a My Timesheet page, in which a user can enter
all types of time, including project-related time, non-project time, and
nonworking time (such as vacation and sick leave). You would only use the
My Timesheet page if your organization needs to track all types of time in
Project Server 2007.

Good questions. Thanks for asking. Hope this helps.

 

[John_JXL]

Thanks for the detailed response - this is very useful.

 

[Dale Howard [MVP]]

John_JXL --

You are more than welcome, my friend!